Raychaudhuri equation in Jacobson's paper (gr-qc/9504004) ?

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In summary, Jacobson's paper discusses the Raychaudhuri equation in the context of spacetime thermodynamics. He presents the equation as \frac{d\theta}{d\lambda}=-\frac{1}{2}\theta^{2}-\sigma^{2}-R_{ab}k^{a}k^{b}, which differs from the version typically found in General Relativity textbooks. The missing term in Jacobson's equation, \hat{\omega}_{ab}\hat{\omega}^{ab}, is equal to zero due to the properties of lightlike vectors. The link to the paper is provided for further reading.
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In Jacobson's famous paper "Thermodynamics of Spacetime: The Einstein Equation of State" (gr-qc/9504004) Phys. Rev. Lett. 75, 1260–1263 (1995) , he wrote the Raychaudhuri equation as (Eq.(4) in his paper):

[tex]\frac{d\theta}{d\lambda}=-\frac{1}{2}\theta^{2}-\sigma^{2}-R_{ab}k^{a}k^{b}[/tex]

However, in General Relativity textbooks, Raychaudhuri equation is written as: (for example, Eq.(9.2.32) in Wald's GR book)

[tex]\frac{d\theta}{d\lambda}=-\frac{1}{2}\theta^{2}-\hat{\sigma}_{ab}\hat{\sigma}^{ab}+\hat{\omega}_{ab}\hat{\omega}^{ab}-R_{cd}k^{c}k^{d}[/tex]

Why is the term [tex]\hat{\omega}_{ab}\hat{\omega}^{ab}[/tex] missing in Jacobson's paper, or is it equal to Zero?
 
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The link to the paper is

http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9504004.

Because a lightlike vector is orthogonal to itself, the null generators of the horizon are orthogonal to the horizon (hypersurface orhtogonal), and thus, by Frobenius' theorem, the vorticity tensor vanishes.
 

1. What is the Raychaudhuri equation?

The Raychaudhuri equation is a mathematical expression that describes the behavior of a congruence of geodesic curves in a curved spacetime. It relates the rate of change of the expansion of the curves to the energy density and pressure of matter in the spacetime.

2. Who is Raychaudhuri and why is the equation named after him?

Amal Kumar Raychaudhuri was an Indian physicist who first derived the equation in the 1950s. It is named after him because he was the first to publish the derivation of the equation in his paper "Relativistic cosmology, I" in 1955.

3. What is the significance of Jacobson's paper (gr-qc/9504004)?

Jacobson's paper, titled "Thermodynamics of Spacetime: The Einstein Equation of State," uses the Raychaudhuri equation to derive the Einstein field equations from thermodynamic principles. This paper has had a significant impact on our understanding of the relationship between gravity and thermodynamics.

4. How is the Raychaudhuri equation used in cosmology?

The Raychaudhuri equation is used in cosmology to study the dynamics of the expansion of the universe. It can be used to predict the future behavior of the universe and to understand the effects of matter and energy on the curvature of spacetime.

5. Are there any limitations to the Raychaudhuri equation?

Yes, there are limitations to the Raychaudhuri equation. It is only valid in a classical, macroscopic description of spacetime and does not take into account quantum effects. It also assumes that the matter in the spacetime follows the laws of classical thermodynamics, which may not always be the case in extreme conditions such as near a black hole.

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